Innocent abandoned
by Loke0
Summary: After the battle on Geonosis, Obiwan goes back to the arena, only to find an abandoned Boba among the corpses of the battlefield. Oneshot


**Summary: After the battle on Geonosis, Obiwan goes back to the arena, only to find an abandoned Boba among the corpses of the battlefield. Oneshot

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Boba looked around the chaos surrounding him. Everyone was running away. Looking down onto the arena bellow, he tried to locate his father but....he couldnt see him anywhere. His heart stung badly as the scene replayed itself in his mind. Jango beheaded. No, it couldnt be!

He must be mistaking. No one could ever kill his father. He was bold and strong. He was dad. He was everything. Screams and yelling pierced his ears and he crouched down behind the wall he'd been looking out from, covering his ears. Big clouds of smoke and sand whirled up all around as people fled and Boba closed his eyes to hinder it from hurting them. He didnt know for how long he sat there, curled up against the wall, his arms covering his head to protect himself from harm. But when he opened his eyes, the sounds of running feet and the sound of people yelling were only a faint echo in the distance. He peeked up over his shoulder, only to realize that everyone was gone. He was alone....No one as far as his eyes could see. He raises slowly to stand and with a lump in his throat turns to look down at the arena again. A thin cloud of dust hovered right above the ground still, making the corpses look unreal somehow, as if they were not really dead. Like if this was just some kind of a bad dream.

A couple of minutes later, Boba had managed to get down from the grandstand. He looked out over the field of dead bodies before him, and his face adopted a frightened expression. None of them moved. Starting to make his way over the arena, Boba lets his eyes travel over every single corpse, searching intensively for his father. He had to be alright. Maybe he was just...just...no...he wasnt just knocked out...Boba knew that and his heart ached terribly. But he tried to deny the truth so badly. He walked on, kicking every now and then at a body in his way. Droids, clone troopers....They were all dead, but he didnt care. All he cared about was to find his father. He strolled around for another minute, his hopes fading slowly and the scary atmosphere of loneliness and death starting to get to him. His father had always told him to be strong, even when you felt you couldnt. His eyes suddenly focused on something familiar in the distance and he almost stumbled over the dead body of a clone trooper in his eager to reach his goal. The visor was shining brightly in the beams of the afternoon sun, almost blinding Boba as he stepped up to the helmet. His face changed abruptly, adopting a hurt expression. Pain and sadness was displayed in his young features as he looked down at the helmet. Very soon, tears started making their way down his cold cheeks and his bottom lip trembled, but he bit down on it, as if it would stop him from crying. As if he could suppress the sorrow that now coursed through his body like poison. Spreading, causing more damage for every second that passed by. Inhaling, Boba crouches down, reaching out to pull the helmet to him. His hands were trembling as he lifted it up and the tears were now flowing down his face with no intention to stop.

"Dad...", he closes his eyes hard, taking deep shuddering breaths as he leans his forehead against the visor of the helmet, realizing...really realizing now that his father was gone. Gone forever. And he was alone. Alone in the whole wide world. How could they take the only one he had, away from him? It wasnt fair. He opens his eyes finally, to stare right into the black visor, but everything is all blurry. He blinked a few times, stubborn to clear his vision. It didnt help as more tears forced their way out of his eyes. His breathing became more rapid by the second and his world started spinning. It was just too much for him to handle. In the dull state he was in now, he still raised his eyes as something caught his attention. Further away, just a small distance from him, he spotted his father's body. It was lying emotionless in the sand, the shiny armor reflecting the beams of the sun in a beautiful way. Holding his breath, Boba moves to stand up slowly, not taking his eyes off the corpse, and with the helmet still in his arms, he gathers some courage to actually walk up to it. The closer he came...the more he hoped that it would just come to life again. That his father would come back to him...and then they could go home together....Fresh tears dropped from his chin as he stared down at the dead body. It wouldnt happen, and he knew that. He shuddered once, inhaling deeply. The afternoon sun was slowly beginning to set and every small gust of wind that blow past him made him shiver from cold. His lower lip had started trembling again, no, his whole body was trembling now. And he dropped to his knees by Jango's body, the helmet falling out of his grip, rolling a few inches. A whine escaped his mouth as he leaned his upper body and head over his father's chest, burying his face in the armor. His small hands came to grasp the cold metal in a cramped way as he weeped. Never before in his life had he felt pain like this. It couldnt be compared to anything else that he had ever experienced. And the worst part was that his father wasnt there to comfort him. Because he was gone. Gone forever. He would never again hold Boba when he was scared or hurt. Never again comfort him. Never again play with him....Never again tell him to be strong and to believe in himself. Boba felt his eyelids getting heavier for every second that passed by and a shill ran down his spine from the cold winds that were now roaming over the abandoned battlefield.

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The sun had disappeared behind the horizon, but it wasnt dark really. Just not very...light. The cool wind strode through his robes and caused him to shudder momentarily, wrapping his arms around himself as he stepped through the gate, letting his blue eyes gaze out over the arena. The more he thought about it, the more it started to feel like it had been a mistake to return here. There were no signs of the mysterious man he'd been chasing all the way here, anymore. As if he'd just vanished into thin air. Squinting his eyes a little, he walked out onto the arena, carefully stepping over a dead body. He could clearly sense the presence of someone else. Was the mysterious man hiding among the corpses? Bad idea. If he thought he could escape a jedi by hiding, he was wrong. As he cautiously made his way over the arena, trying not to stumble over the bodies that lay scattered all over the place, the presence grows stronger. But he couldnt see any movements anywhere. He was so sure that the presence he sensed was the man he'd been chasing here and nothing else. The clone troopers couldnt be more dead than they already were, so it couldnt them. Couldnt be any of the bodies here. If anyone was still clinging to the last strands of life, the presence he felt wouldnt be nearly as strong as it was now. While gazing out all around him, he moves slowly, with caution and his nose wrinkles in disgust as the smell of smoke and...death still lingers. When getting closer to the middle of the arena, a thin layer of dust still hangs in the air and his senses guide him forward, telling him that he was really close to his goal now. Squinting his eyes and stopping in the middle of a step, he observes something before him. A short distance further ahead, he spotted Jango Fett's body on the ground, headless. It was a heartbreaking sight to see his son, Boba, if he remembered correctly, sitting hunched over the corpse. His face was buried in his small arms, hidden from view. So this was what he'd been following. Then where did the strange man go? As he gazed around him, he figured that he must've lost track of him and decided that he had a more urging situation before him. Very carefully, he stepped closer, stopping at a distance of a few feet, where he crouched down, studying the very still boy. Was he asleep? He couldnt really tell. Either way the boy didnt notice his presence. What a horrible thing to do. To leave a little kid alone like this, but maybe Boba only had his father after all. So there might not be anyone else that would take care of him. It was a cruel world out there but it still broke his heart when a child was abandoned, orphaned. Clearing his throat, he decides to speak up.

"Boba..?" he adresses the boy with a low voice, almost a whisper. A few seconds pass by but he gets no response. Making another attempt to get contact with him, he slowly reaches out, carefully shaking the small shoulder. This time however, he gets a reaction as Boba stirs a little. A low groan escapes they boy's mouth as he drowsily pulls himself off his father's body, in his dull state of waking up, not aware of what or who had disturbed him. But when he notices the man next to him, he lets out a gasp and stiffens but doesnt make any attempt to flee. He'd seen this man before. This jedi. It was the man who had come to see his father. His father...the heartache that he had momentarily forgotten about came back to him with full force and his body began to tremble but he fought not to let any more tears escape his eyes. What was this jedi doing here? What did he want from him?

"Boba..? Do you remember me? I'm Obiwan Kenobi....", he becomes silent then, allowing the boy to melt this and answer him. It makes his heart ache when seeing a child experience pain like this. To lose the possibly only person that had ever cared for him. Even though Jango had been a ruthless bounty hunter, Boba was still just a kid and very innocent and oblivious to things. Obiwan couldnt possibly connect him to any of the cruel acts of his father. Boba snuffles and tries to appear brave and unafraid but fresh tears begin to force their way out of his eyes again. He gives a small nod though, looking down at the ground.

"Is someone coming to pick you up?" Obiwan's voice was hesitant as he doubted that anyone would. The boy had been abandoned already when everyone fled the field. He clearly wasnt forgotten. Should anyone have cared, they would have taken him with them from the beginning. How sad. Obiwan watches as Boba wipes away the tears with the sleeve of his shirt, trying to rid his face of wetness, but to no avail.

"I d-dont know", came the trembling reply. His voice was thick with tears as he cried his little heart out. A cold wind passed them by and Obiwan looked up and around them, a little bit concerned. Darkness was starting to fall slowly, but surely. A snuffle made him turn his attention back to the boy and glanced at Jango's body for a second. Boba was alone then. No one to care for him. He truly felt pity for the boy.

"Well...you cant stay here", he said in a matter of fact tone. The little one looked up at him then, with eyes that could break even the most cold hearted warrior's heart. Dismay filled Boba at those words. Was the jedi telling him to get lost? That he couldnt stay here and mourn over the death of his father? A fearful expression plastered on his face and he stared with widened eyes at Obiwan.

"Boba...will you come with me? I can take you to a safe place." The question came as a surprise for the shocked boy and he kept staring at the jedi for a while longer as if considering the offer. His father had always told him that jedi were no people that their kind befriended. They didnt share the same valuations and views on the world and its inhabitants, which was one of the reasons that they couldnt get along. It only resulted in fights and war. Jango hadnt referred to jedi as evil or enemies really, but had strictly told Boba to stay away from them.

"But...you're a jedi", he said and pulled his sleeve over his eye once, letting it stay there as he peeked at the man with his other eye.

"Yes, I am. And jedi help people", Obiwan explained but Boba seemed slightly doubtful. It was understandable, he figured. A low rumbling could be heard in the distance as dark clouds were now ruling the sky and they both looked up as a short flash of light caught their attention. The wind stirred up some sand around them and caused armor and weapons from the fallen warriors to rattle slightly here and there. Boba looked down and he wrapped his arms around himself, shivering a little. He didnt want to leave his father. He didnt want to leave everything he had. His family, his life. Where would he go anyway? He had nowhere to go. Silently, new tears streamed down his already wet cheeks. Obiwan watched with a saddened expression on his tired face, letting the air he exhaled, escape through his nose slowly. Stiffening suddenly, he raises his eyes, looking past Boba and out over the arena behind him. For a second, he thought he saw someone...Maybe it was just his imagination. A loud cracking sound from above came as a warning before lightning struck. A rumbling sound followed and more grey clouds gathered on the darkening sky. Obiwan was surprised at how Boba didnt really seem to react to the, in his opinion, pretty frightening weather. Most kids had a tendency to find the thunder scary. Though, he could sense the sudden tenseness in the boy, knowing that he wasnt all too comfortable with it.

Something wet dropped onto his nose suddenly and his eyes met with Boba's as the boy seemed to have experienced the same thing. All around them, a tapping sound could be heard. It increased for every second and soon the rain was pouring down on them like if someone had turned a bucket upside down. Boba huddled a little where he was sitting, pushing Jango's helmet closer to his chest and Obiwan frowned, pulling a hand through his now wet hair. Great. Nice weather. He proceeded with pulling his hood up over his head, pulling the robes a little closer around himself, as much as he could in his crouched/seated position. As if he wasnt really sure of how to approach the boy again, Obiwan reaches his hand out for him in silence, knowing that Boba knew that he wanted him to come with him. The now soaked boy looked at the hand for a long time, blinking rapidly at the water that fell on his face, but he didnt say or do anything.

"Boba....Please....I ensure you that I mean you no harm", there was an honest expression on his face when Boba finally looked up to meet his eyes. "Give me your hand." The boy shivered and unsteadily got up on his feet, and Obiwan began to lower his hand again when he realized that it wouldnt be taken. Boba's grip on the helmet loosened slightly and it eventually slipped out of his hands, landing before his feet with a soft thud. What happened next caught Obiwan by surprise as Boba came to him, small arms wrapping around his neck. A quiet, muffled sobbing came from where he had buried his face in the jedi's shoulder. Touched by this unexpected gesture, Obiwan embraced the boy carefully. For a while, all that could be heard was the sound of water hitting the wet, muddy ground and the dead bodies around them.

"It's alright.." He spoke softly, before letting go of the boy, moving to stand up straight again. He then proceeded with removing his robes and wrapped the piece of fabric around Boba. He didnt make any protests so far, and Obiwan figured that the boy had probably decided that he wasnt going to hurt him. In Boba's mind however, confused thoughts had started building up. From what he knew, jedi werent good people to be around, not when you were a bounty hunter anyway. Jango had always told him not to get involved with them. Therefor, the nice gestures from this jedi confused him but he couldnt help but feel that he wanted to accept his help so badly. He didnt want to be left here all alone. No one would come for him. No one would care. Tears mixed with the raindrops on his face as the hood was pulled up over his head and he was picked up carefully. He wrapped his arms around Obiwan's neck and his legs came to cling around the jedi's waist slightly. He was still shivering, still cold, but the warmth from the man's body soon transfered to him and made him relax a bit.

Thunder struck again and Obiwan felt the boy tense in his arms and he looked up shortly, squinting his eyes at the heavy rain. A low rumbling sound came from the sky then, but he didnt think much of it anymore. A last glance was thrown at Jango's body and his heart stung terribly at Boba's loss. Turning away, he began walking slowly, carefully avoiding to trip over any bodies on the ground. Obiwan had to admit that he was a little stunned from the last few minutes. He sure hadnt expected this when he returned here. Somehow though, he was really glad that he did come back. If he hadnt, Boba might have spent the night out here all alone in the rain...and the night after that...it was a horrible thought and Obiwan pushed it aside, speeding up a little as he walked. Both of them were now shivering because of the cold rain that had already soaked their clothes but he knew that his ship wasnt far away. They would soon be in a much warmer, safer place. Boba however, didnt think that he would ever feel warm and safe again. He had lost everything he cared about. His eyes were all the time focusing on Jango's fading body in the distance, as if he didnt want to lose sight of it. It would mean that his father wasnt with him anymore. That he was truly gone. That this would be the last time he ever saw anything of him. As they left the arena, Boba allowed his eyes to close finally, a strong wave of exhaustion washing over him. Shortly after, sleep claimed him and his body finally relaxed as he drifted off into a wonderful dreamworld. Obiwan smiled sadly as he noticed this. He knew that probably nothing could make Boba feel any better now. Only time would, but he wanted, and would do his best to comfort the boy anyway. Until they decided on what to do with him. He was confident that everything was going to be alright

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